Comcast throws down gauntlet to Netflix with 'Watchathon Week' freebies

Joe Amarante

Published 12:00 am, Friday, March 22, 2013

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HBO photo: You'll be able to watch Peter Dinklage in HBO's "Game of Thrones."

HBO photo: You'll be able to watch Peter Dinklage in HBO's "Game of Thrones."

Comcast throws down gauntlet to Netflix with 'Watchathon Week' freebies

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Comcast customers will get Netflix-rivaling access to an "enormous" number of complete TV series this week as the company launches its biggest-ever catch-up event in "Watchathon Week" starting Monday.

Officials say the offerings available to anyone with On Demand capability will allow customers to watch every season of popular series such as "Downton Abbey," "Dexter," "Psych" "Mad Men," "Touch" and other shows. And you don't have to be a premium customer to watch included shows from premium networks.

Running through March 31, the event will offer more than 3,500 episodes of 100 TV series airing on 30 networks, at no added cost, said Comcast's Laura Brubaker Crisco.

"The scale of Xfinity Watchathon Week is enormous," said Maggie Suniewick, vice president of video for Comcast Cable. "This will be the biggest catch-up ever in TV history, ... It takes the TV catch-up concept to an entirely new level with every episode of every season of TV's best shows, in addition to the tens of thousands of content options already available for free on Xfinity On Demand."

Other shows available are "The Walking Dead," "Parenthood," "Game of Thrones," "The Newsroom" and "The Wire" (a favorite of TV viewers who binge on complete seasons through the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime). It will also be available through multiple platforms (regular TV, Apple, Android devices and streaming).

Cheesier reality fare will include "Braxton Family Values," "Bridezillas" and "The Bachelor."

After Watchathon Week concludes, Comcast said, Xfinity TV will offer a "Catch-Up of the Week" starting April 1 for the rest of 2013, with more limited offerings. For more details on Watchathon Week, go to www.xfinity.com/watchathon.